Monthly Prowess: Buying at the right time makes all the difference

You've probably heard plenty of would be savvy shoppers tell you that it really does matter not so much what you buy but rather when. This premise is what some believe is the key to saving money not so much in one fell swoop of shopping but over the course of the entire year. But no one really thought that buying certain products or items based on a particular was an exact science. It is. Some consumers have a decent grasp on this concept as most of it is just common sense, although that route is quite hard to follow given the nature of the products. Take patio furniture for instance. This furniture is most popular in spring and summer, so obviously the best time to buy it would be as the warmer weather is coming to an end. You can save as much as 50-60 percent off the total price. The same mentality proves potent when you also think about summertime items such as spas, pools and anything swimwear associated. Summertime exclusive clothing like tank tops and shorts also should be gobbled up as the season starts to wind down, but the real money saving starts with the aforementioned big ticket items like pools and spas. Other smart buys in the winter months also include camping equipment, bicycles and vehicles. Buying a car in November or December is ideal given that you're catching the car dealerships at the best time since they're trying to unload their old inventory for the sake of the new year's models. From cars to appliances, the refrigerators, stoves and air conditioners are best bought in the month of May or some time in the spring, and you can also add mattresses to that list of at home items. New items tend to find their way on to the showroom floor in the summertime so winter shopping makes the most sense here as far as saving money. The traditional school of thought when it comes to buying typically centers on the time of year and not buying off season. But focusing on that thinking is going to lead to higher bills and spending much more money that you should. Some would argue that buying a pool in the Fall defeats the purpose of the purchase but that mentality is short sighted and silly when you consider you'll have plenty of summers to soak up the sun and the subsequent savings.